Railway signaling apparatus.



W. K. HOWE. RAILWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED Nov.2'1, 1905. BBNEWED JUNE e, 190s.

Pat-.ema neuw/,1908.

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W. K. HUWE.

RAILWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS.

APPLIoATIoN FILED Nov. 27, 1905. RENEWED JUNE 6, 190e.

Patented oct. 27, 1968.

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UNITED STATES .PATENT OFFICE.

WINTHROP K. HOWE, OF RUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL RAILWAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

RAILWAY SIG-NALING- AIPPARA'l"[J'" .v

Application filed November 27, 1905, Serial No. 289,258.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WINTHROP K. HowE, a citizen of the United States, residing /at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railway Signaling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to railway signaling apparatus, and has for its object the operation of the two blades or a double arm signal independently from a single motor.

Referring to the drawings herewith in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section of my invention. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section at right angles thereto. Fig. 3 is a detail of one of the actuating pawls and adjacent parts. Fig. 4 is a similar detail of one of the holding pawls, and Fig. 5 is a diagram of circuits. s

The signal blades are shown diagrammatically.

1 is the frame of the machine, upon which is mounted an electric motor 2. The shaft of the motor 2 carries in rotation with it a pinion 3, which meshes with a gear 4 mounted rigidly upon a shaft 5, which is journaled in the frame 1. Integral with or secured to the gears 6 and 7 are ratchets or notched wheels 8 and 9. Rigidly mounted upon the shaft 5 are crank arms 10 and 11. Pivoted to these crank arms are pawls 12 and 13, and so positioned that the pawl 12 will engage the ratchet 8 when the shaft 5 is rotated in one direction and so that the pawl 13 will engage the ratchet 9 when the shaft 5 is rotated in the opposite direction. It will now be evident that when the motor 2 is so energized as to rotate in one direction, the gear 6 will be compelled to rotate in the opposite direction and the gear 7 will remain inactive; and when the motor 2 is so energized as to rotate in the opposite direction, the gear 7 will be compelled to rotate in the opposite direction to that of the motor, while the gear 6 will remain inactive. It will, of course, be understood that the pawls 12 and 13 are held up to their work by proper springs in the ordinary way.

A gear 14 meshes with the gear 6, and a gear 15 meshes with the gear 7. Both of these gears 14 and 15 are mounted loosely upon a shaft 20. Mounted loosely upon said Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 27, 1908.

Renewed June 6, 1908. Serial No. 437,200.

shaft 2O are two magnetic clutches 16 and 17. The clutch 16 faces and makes magnetic connection when energized with the web of gear 14, and the clutch 17 faces the gear 15 and has similar' relation to it. Integral with or secured to the clutch 16 is a pinion 13, which meshes with a rack 21; integral with or secured to the clutch 17 is a pinion 19, which meshes with a rack 22. The rack 22 is connected to the rod of one signal blade, and the other rack 21 is connected to the other signal blade-as shown to the home and distant signals respectively.

Pivoted to the frame 1 are pawls 23 and 24. The pawl 23 engages the teeth of the gear 15, and the pawl 24 engages the teeth of the gear 14. The signal blades are cushioned on their return by gravity to normal position by the dash-pots 25 and 26 respectively.

Referring now to the diagram of Fig. 5,-

27 represents the home signal and 28 the distant signal. 29 is the controller for the home signal and 30 is the controller for the distant signal. It will be noted and will be apparent from the description hereafter given that the connections of these controllers is such that the distant signal controller can get current from battery only when the home signal controller is in the reverse position. 31 is the armature and 32 is the field of the motor 2. 33 is an arm reciprocated by the home signal in such manner that when the home signal goes to reverse the brush 34 bridges the contacts 35 and 36 and the brush 39 bridges the contacts 40 and 41; and when the home signal goes to normal the brush 34 bridges the contacts 37 and 33 and the brush 39 bridges the contacts 42 and 43. As will hereafter be seen these brushes and contacts constitute a pole-changer for the field 32. 33 is a rod similarly connected to the distant signal, and moves the brush 44 to bridge the contacts 45 and 46 as the distant signal goes to normal, and breaks such electrical connection as the distant signal reaches reverse. 47 is a source of electric energy.

As shown in the drawings, the home signal has been moved to reverse. Before describing the movement of the distant signal we may observe what has already occurred by the movement of the home signal controller 29 to the position shown. At the time j, it was moved the brushes 34 and 39 bridged sof the contacts 37, 38, and 42, 43, respectively. Current then liowed from the battery 47 through wire 54, contact 50, brush 43, contact 49, Wires 66, 55, 56, magnet 16, Wires 57, 65 and common back to battery. This caused the clutch of magnet 16 to engage the web of gear 14 and cause the two to rotate together. At the same time current flowed through Wire to contact 43, brush 39, contact 42, Wires 53, 60, ield of motor 2, Wires 61, 59, contact 38, brush 34, contact 37, Wires 62, 63, armature 31 of motor 2, and Wires 64, 65, and common back to battery. This energized the motor to rotate in the direction to cause the pawl 12 to engage the ratchet 8, causing it to rotate the gear 6 and the gear 14, and the clutch magnet 16 being magnetically held in rotation With the gear 14, the gear 19 Was rotated in the direction to raise the rack 21 and thus move the home signal to reverse. Just as the signal reaches the reverse position, the rod was lowered and the brushes 34 and 39 moved to bridge the contacts 35, 36, and 40, 41, respectively. This movement of the brushes cut ott current from the motor and established connections through the field 32 preparatory to the movement of the distant signal. But so long as the cont-roller 29 remains reversed current will remain on the magnet 16, and the paivl 23 Will hold the gear 14 against reverse rotation. The home signal Will therefore remain at reverse.

I will nouT describe the movement of the distant signal to reverse. The distant signal. controller 30 being moved so that the brush 51 bridges the contacts 52 and 53, current flows from battery 47 through Wire 54, contact 50, brush 48, contact 49, vvires 66 and 66, Contact 53, brush 51, contact 52, Wires 67, 68, clutch magnet 17 and Wires 69 and common back to battery. This Will put the magnet clutch 17 in magnetic connection With the Web of the gear 15. At the same current flows from Wire 67 through 70, contact 46, brush 44, contact 45, Wire 71, contact 41, brush 39, contact 40, Wire 61, field coils 32, Wire 60, contact 36, brush 34, contact 35, Wire 63, armature 31, and Wires 64, and common back to battery. This energizes the motor 2 to rotate in the direction to cause the paWl 13 to engage the ratchet 9 and cause rotation of the gears 7 and 15, and since the magnet-clutch 17 is magnetically held in rotation With the gear 15, the gear 19 Will move the rack 22 upward and thus set the distant signal at reverse. When the distant signal is at full reverse, the rod m will move the brush 44 Wire 00 out of electrical connection With the contacts 45 and 46 and thus cut off current from the motor. But current Will remain on the magnet 17 and the paWl 23 Will hold the distant signal at reverse so long as the controller 30 is at reverse.

Then the controllers are returned to normal position, the magnets 16 and 17 Will be denergized and the racks 21 and 22 will rotate the gears 1S and 19 and the clutch magnets 16 and 17 in reverse directions and permit the signals to go to normal by gravity. The tall of the signals Will be cushioned by the dash-pots 25 and 26.

It Will be understood that, through Wellknown electrical connections, when the motor 2 is energized to rotate in a given direction,.

current will be supplied to the proper magnetic clutch 16 or 17, as the case may be. lt vwill also be understood that one or both of the clutches may operate as a slot magnet for a slot signal assuming that the electrical connect-ions are such that the motor 2 will rotate in the direction to cause the pavvl 13 to engage the ratchet 9, `and the clutch 17 to engage the gear 15; rotation of the motor Will compel the gear 7 to rotate the gear 15,

and the clutch 17 being held magnetically in rotation with the gear 15, the pinion 19 will lift the rack 22 and, through the appropriate signal rod, move the distant signal to safety.

.Tt will thus be seen that the two signals may be successively moved by a single motor and held as required and released as required, either through slot connections or from a controller or both.

Having thus described my invention, Whatl' claim is:

1. ln combination with a motor and a double signal, an electro-magnetic clutch for each signal and means for moving one signal blade when said motor 'is energized to rotate in one direction and means for moving the other signal blade when said motor is energized to rotate in the opposite direction.

2. In combination with a motor and a double signal, an electro-magnetic clutch for each signal, means for moving one signal blade to reverse when said motor is energized to rotate in one direction, means for holding said signal blade at reverse so long as the clutch of said signal is energized, means for moving the other signal blade to reverse when said motor is energized to rotate in the opposite direction and means for holding said last mentioned signal blade at reverse so long as its respective clutch is energized.

3. In combination with a motor and a double signal, an electro-magnetic clutch for each signal, means for successively moving said signals by the energization of said clutches and by reverse energization of said motor. p

4. In combination With a motor and a double signal, an electro-magnetic clutch for each signal, means for successively moving said signals by the successive energization of said clutches and by reverse energization of said motor, means for holding said signals at reverse after current is reversed or cut oit from said-motor so long as said clutches are energized and means for returning one or both of said signals to normal by the deenergization of said clutches.

5. In combination With a motor and a double signal, an electro-magnetic clutch for each signal, means for successively moving said signals by the successive energization of said clutches and by reverse energization of said motor, means for holding said signals at reverse and means for returning one or the other 0r both of said signals to normal by gravity by the denergization ofone or both of said clutches through a slot circuit or circuits.

6. In combination with a motor and a signal, an electro-magnetic clutch, gearing connecting one member of said clutch with said motor, gearing connecting the other member of said clutch With said signal, and a ratchet and paWl for holding said signal at reverse after current is reversed in or cut off from the motor and until said clutch is denergized.

7. In combination With a motor and a double signal, an electro-magnetic clutch for each signal, mechanism for connecting one member of one clutch with said motor so as to cause rotation of said clutch member When said motor is rotated in one direction, mechanism connecting the corresponding member of the other clutch with said motor so as to cause rotation of said clutch member When said motor is rotated in the opposite direction, mechanisms connecting the other member of said clutches respectively with said signals, and holding mechanism for holding the signal or signals at reverse after current is reversed in or cut orf from said motor by locking the gearing between the motor and clutch, or motor and clutches, against reverse rotation, but permitting reverse rotation of the gearing between clutch and signal after the clutch is denergized.

S. ln combination With a motor and a double signal, an electro-magnetic clutch for each signal, ratchet mechanism and gearing connecting said motor With one member of one of said clutches and ratchet mechanism and gearing connecting said motor With one member of the other of said clutches oppositely arranged so as to respond to opposite rotation of said motor, gearing connecting the other members of said clutches respectively With said signals, and ratchets engaging said gearings in the motor sides of said clutches to hold said gearings against reverse rotation after current is cut ofi or reversed in said motor.

VVINTHROP K. HVE.

W'itnesses:

F. L. DoDGsoN, C. J. LEWIS. 

